Cross drops 42, Weir pulls away from Madonna
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WEIRTON -- Coming in having dropped three-straight tough games to opponents with a combined record of 16-1, Weir High head coach Anthony Santangelo said senior standout G Cross "took it personal" to get the Red Riders back on track.
The end result was the standing-room-only crowd packed into the Dube Dome Thursday night witnessing one of the best players in the Valley putting on a show to the tune of 42 points while the Red Riders pulled away for an 80-65 victory over rival Madonna.
"It's huge for us, huge for the locker room, huge for the team coming off a couple tough losses, especially in a rivalry game like this," Santangelo said. "It was a packed house, this game is always a great atmosphere. There's respect on both sides.
"G took it personal after the last few games. He was feeling it (Thursday night). Early on he forced a couple shots, we had to kind of calm him down a little and from there he took over."
After Madonna (2-2) surged ahead late in a close first quarter to lead 20-16 after one, Weir High (2-3) started the second on an 8-0 run and never trailed again.
After holding a 10-point lead at the break, 37-27, the Red Riders started the third on a 9-2 run and ultimately pushed the lead to 22 after three thanks to 19 third-quarter points from Cross.
"(Cross) is an amazing player, his first step is probably the quickest in the Valley." Madonna assistant coach Michael Battista, filling in for head coach George Vargo who missed the game with an illness, said. "Once he's got the edge, it's all downhill from there for him. He's a great player and a great kid. It's tough to try to defend a player like that, you try to double, but he has so much knowledge of the game he can pass right out of it. He can beat a double team also. You're darned if you do, darned if you don't against him.
"I thought we played a great first quarter. That third quarter killed us and we could never recover."
Madonna's comeback hopes took a hit when senior Luca Muzzi fouled out less than a minute into the fourth quarter, and the Red Riders pushed the lead to as many as 25 before the subs came in for both sides.
The Blue Dons' efforts were led by Anthony Mascio with 18 points, while Muzzi netted 12 and David Connors 10.
Following up Cross for Weir was Damir Mowder with 12 points while Malachi Stromile netted nine.